Raining Grey
by ShadowWinterCooper73
Summary: She thought it wouldn't happen to her. How could it? Her sister had already been chosen and lost to the capitol's game, so what made her so special that she'd be picked too? If she was, she'd have to leave her family behind... and Grey... Rated T to be safe!
1. Chapter 1

**Alrighty then! Second story attempt! I hope this one actually works out unlike my past one which has been, sadly, deleted. I hope you guys like my story considering "Catching Fire" is coming out soon!**

**This is a sneak peak of whats to come!**

**And sorry for the errors but youre gonna have to deal with them cause I don't feel like fixing them at the moment...**

**Please review or I wont know if I should keep writting!**

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**_Chapter_****___1: Nightmare P_rophecies**

I couldn't believe it.

It was my name. My name! How could I have gotten picked? I know my name had been entered over thirty times now, but what are the odds that it would be me out of thousands of others?

I stood there, not wanting to believe it, hoping that I had heard her wrong but there she was. Deary Flitter: the person who called my name from the bowl. She stood there with her purple hair and green tinted skin watching the audience for any sign of me. I looked to my left and saw Grey looking at me. I tried to get to him, but my limbs wouldn't move.

Deary began hovering toward me, her hands reached out to grab me, and her voice transforming from her usual soft accent to a monstrous cackle. Her fuchsia fingernails blended into blood stained claws and her make-up smeared, leaving her masked with mascara and sickly pail. She grinned widely at me, baring rows upon rows of sharp jagged teeth, and grabbed my shoulders, dragging me from my home.

I heard Grey's voice in my ear and when she shook me, I froze in fright. she left me voiceless as I tried screaming. My arms were immobile and I couldn't even fight back for myself. Deary was just about to rip me to shreds, when my eyes closed, blocking it out.

I shot up in the dark, screaming, and opened my eyes to see my father shaking me.

"Rain, you'll wake the neighbors!" he whispered in the dark, his hand still on my shoulder.

"I'm sorry."

"Good… Now keep quiet today, people are especially grumpy and picky…" he muttered under his breath. I watched him walk out of my room, and admitted to myself that I wasn't okay. For today was the worst day of the year.

Today was the day of the reaping.

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**I promise the chapters will be longer in the future! love my readers!**

**-Shadow**


	2. Chapter 2

**Alright chapter 2! Now we really get to see what Rain's back story is!**

**Please review or I might forget to update (wink wink, nudge nudge...)**

*****FIRST AND LAST DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN THE HUNGERGAMES (unfortunatley)*****

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**_Chapter 2: The Day of the Reaping_**

My name is Rain Brook O'Troute, ironic I know, I am seventeen years old, and my name has been put in the tribute bowl thirty four times. I live in district four with my father and brothers, and my best friend is a boy I met by chance. Starting with why I only have a father, would explain my story all that easier.

My mother had been a kind person who always loved everyone she encountered, and never thought bad of anyone. She was always someone I looked up to and went to when my brothers picked on me. I grew up having buck teeth and freckles on my face so it wasn't too difficult for me to be the odd one out. When I was nine, my mother had gotten a job for the capital and was thinking of moving us up there once she was settled down. Unfortunately, a week after she was promoted, she was laid off for three months for reasons she never said. Then, two weeks before my birthday, a terrorist act of bombing a building in the capitol caused thirty-four casualties. My mother happened to be one of them, but by the time we had gotten to where she was, she was dead.

My father says I look like her more and more as every day passes. I do have her strong, lengthy brown hair, and hazel eyes, but I just can't see her in me. All I see is high cheek bones, a short face, thin but dark eye brows, a peppered face, and a nose that always got in the way. My brothers however look exactly like my parents. The oldest, Troy, who has been married and out of the house for around four years now, has brown hair and brown eyes and looks like my mother. He also has two little girls who also carries my mothers beauty and his wife's eyes . My second oldest brother has blond hair and brown eyes. Saxon was the one who knew everything about me, and always tried his hardest to make me laugh. We were nothing alike, but we got along.

One year to this date was the last time I ever saw my sister. She had always smiled when she saw me, always giggled when I made a face, and her hair was always out of place, making me take over and tie it back over and over again. Her hazel eyes had matched the grass in spring, and her hair was like mine: the colour of mud. I loved her like she was my own kid, being the only motherly figure in her life. I had so much potential planned for her, but unfortunately, she wouldn't have a future. She'd been reaped.

Little Ariel's legacy still burned in our districts minds. Her last battle was between the last three tributes. It was her, another boy from our district, and a girl from 2. Little Ariel didn't see the other girl at the cornucopia until she was already slamming her head against the horn of plenty, killing her with the fifth bashing.

Sealy, the boy from four, heard her screams and a cannon fire, and sprinted to find Ariel dead, and the District 2 girl laughing, thinking she won. He ran at her screaming in anger for killing the twelve year old in cold blood, but was killed by the girl after being speared, by chance, in the heart. There had been so much blood from little Ariel's head that I never got the image out of mind. The look of her face as the light left her eyes will forever stand as a representation of the hunger games to me: something that took away my sister, relationships, and life.

Finnick knew our family from buying my father's fish, and still visited us from the victor village to check in on our progress. He would usually have lunch with us, take us out for some shopping, and left politely before dinner. He was a kind person and would always greet me first before chatting with me about my depression.

Last week he left a large speckled shell for me to cheer me up after a week of rain.

"Rain, you need to get ready for today. Grey said he was coming over to see if you want to go fishing again." Saxon said at my door. I simply sat up in my bed watching the clouds send more and more showers onto the glass.

Grey knew it had been hard especially this year with my brother losing his job, and my father having to move us to his restaurant & fish shop. We ended up adding an addition to the side of it and calling it home.

Lost in my thoughts, I didn't notice Grey until he spoke.

"You didn't show up at the docks." I jumped slightly and looked to see him sitting next to me. He knew my response by the silence I gave him. "It's tomorrow isn't it?" I nodded and hid my face even more into my knees.

"Rain, we need a few more octopuses for the soup today." Saxon said from the door a few minutes later. No second glance, no side remark, all because he trusts Grey. Why shouldn't he? Grey has been my friend for six years. We met at a school when we were partnered in a scholastic bowl. I wasn't that good at the time so I basically used him as help in case I didn't know it. Then three years ago, he got his first job at my father's restaurant where I spent all of my time. We slowly got to know each other after that, and finally started to get along this past year after my sister was reaped. My father must have told him to keep a close eye on me when he wasn't around, so that I wouldn't "try anything". Having him so close also explains why he constantly is over and always wants to know where I am. It's his job.

So needless to say, I've had an interesting process of growing up, compared to everyone else of course.

"Rain, you need to get up, okay? Why don't we go down out the docks and fish for a bit to take your mind off things?" Grey said pulling me up and away from the warm blankets. I quickly disagreed, feeling the cold air tingle my skin giving me goose bumps, but had to anyways. My father would be upset if I didn't, and that's one thing you never made my father.

"Get dressed and we'll go."

We got to the docks later that planned due to the pouring rain, but I set my things up after the rain and quickly dove in before him. The cold water felt good on my skin after being cooped up inside and Grey wasted no time in following me in.

The way we both hunted underwater was very different than most fishermen did. The traditional way was to swim underwater, catch the octopus, and kill it by either stabbing or biting the nerves that were between the eyes. Then to tenderize the meat, you would have to beat it against a rock at least 100 times.

Grey and I chose that, but we put a little twist on it. Instead of beating it against a rock 100 times in an hour or so, we bring it home where we have meat tenderizers from district 2 that allow us to do it in half the time. Stretching it out and letting it dry also promotes the fresh meat idea that my father's restaurant uses, and gives us something to do.

Grey handed me my spear I forgot on the dock, and swam away in search for octopus. I followed him and we found two locked in battle. On three we attacked both, each of us killing one, and brought it to the surface just to make sure it was dead before looking for more. In total, that day we found and killed four each. Nowhere near what we accomplished during mating season.

"So, what do you want to do for the rest of today?" He asked me during our lunch break around noon. I was silent as I bit into my tuna sandwich. "I know what today is, but you don't need to let it get to you this badly."

"You don't know what I've been through and what I've had to deal with, Grey-"

"Yes I do! Lacking the fact you didn't speak for three months, I still understood what had happened and I tried to help. Don't you remember that at all?"

"Have you ever seen your sister, your own flesh and blood, die on national television and see the reactions of people in the capitol? Seeing their faces fill with joy that their choice of victor just murdered your sister and all you can do is sit there while her eyes fade to black thinking of you?! It's hard to not think about when every time you close your eyes so see her! Staring at you with that same glazed over look!" My eyes stung not from the sea salt, but the salt from fresh tears threatening to spill over. I slipped through his grasp and ran where I hoped he wouldn't find me.

The past few months have been torturous for me. I've lived with the fact that my mother died, and now my sister as well. My heads been crammed with the thoughts of death, and the pain that follows, and a few times I've tried to end it all by any means necessary, and my family knows.

Just last week they found a noose tied to a water weight under my bed that I'd been stashing. Grey had no clue that I was suicidal until he was the one to find the noose. After that, he has spent every moment of every day with me making sure I was safe. He even was allowed to stay over one night in case I woke up with destructive thoughts.

"Rain! Stop!" He yelled probably running after me. My house was right on the ocean side, but it was about a two mile walk to the perfect hunting grounds where we were at, so running that distance was a little harder than you would think.

There wouldn't be any possible way he could catch me. I was faster than him, smarter, and I always got away from anyone I wanted. However, when I ran through the middle of town, there was mud everywhere, making it harder and harder to run through. I barley heard Grey behind me, my thoughts running thousands of miles a second.

Before I knew it, I had fallen in a heap of sloshed up hay and mud just as I turned a corner of a building. I couldn't raise my arms to help myself up because I could only shudder and weep for my dead sister.

Warm arms picked me up and held onto me tightly as I sobbed. I could barley breath, there was an uncomfortable amount of mud all over me, and it began to rain again. My father use to tell me that every time it would rain when I was little, I would go out and play in to for hours. When I was first born, a terrible storm rolled through our district, but during all the wind and lightning, I smiled hearing the rain. It used to make me happy, but now it only brings me sorrow and pain.

"Let's forget about fishing today, okay? We need to get you home."He said lifting me from the muddy earth.

I stared at my reflection in our dusty bathroom mirror, my face fresh and clean from any imperfections of dirt. My dark brown hair, reaching just past the middle of my back in length, was clean of any mud, and shined slightly in the braid I put it in. The braid started as two braids on my head, and then met into one solid fish-tail braid once it left my neck. My mother used to style it this way whenever we were going to a special event, and I can see why because I got my hair from her. I was also lucky enough to get her dark eyes and, basic face and body structure. She had always been smaller than my father weighting no more than 115 pounds, of muscle of course, and had always been around five feet tall. I only got my father's smile, height, being around 5'7", and eye structure, which I never liked. Freckles sprinkled my face and body, from my mother, on my almost olive skin (father). This is the way I want to be remembered if the odds aren't in my favor.

When I was putting my green dress on all I could think about was last year. Little Ariel running around in her little, pink dress, never really having to dress up for anything other than her mother's death, and me trying to get her to wear a bow on her pony tail. I had to bribe her with a chocolate candy before she would sit still. When I said goodbye, she still had a last bit of the sweet candy in the corner of her mouth.

My dress had belonged to my mother, and my brother had found it in the storage we kept above the shop. He told me to wear it this year since I was mom's age when she had bought it twenty-four years ago. My father told me that when they use to live in district two, they were very wealthy, but because of their families, shortly after they got engaged, they moved to four.

We weren't the richest family in four, nor the poorest. We had enough money to affort heat in winter and air conditioning for the summer, along with ice for the fish and drinks.

"Twenty minutes okay?" My father said peering into the door. He watched me fiddle the skirt to look right. "Your mother wore that the night we became engaged. You look just like her in it." Alright now he was just sugar-coating it.

"Thanks, dad."

"Did you and grey catch anything today?" here it comes…

"We caught five octopi, but I think we left them down at the beach."

"How come?" I stayed silent. "Please don't tell me that you had another fit again. You have to stop doing that! It's getting in the way of things!"

"What am I suppose to do? Let it build up inside and until I explode?"

"What I meant was maybe instead of crying all the time and thinking of destructive things, you could use your time doing things that will better your future."

"Like hunting for octopus every day for hours, then coming back to cook it? I don't want to do that for the rest of my life. I want to actually do something other than fish and train for the hunger games." Its true that since I was old enough to pick up a knife, my parents had put me into the training facility at my school, just in case it was me who was picked. Most of our money went into the training for me and my siblings which is the reason for me taking tesserae, and the reason behind more of the training.

"What are you going to do? You don't have a complete education! No one will take you."

"Mom wouldn't have yelled at me like this… She would have told me to be strong and calm today for Ariel's sake. But thanks to your mistake, she-"

"I KNOW WHAT I DID!" I flinched at his tone. Ever since my mother did pass, my father has gotten more and more ruthless with his anger. "I don't need you reminding me every day of my mistakes."

"What do you mean mistakes?"

"Get out and go to the reaping."

"What?"

"I said go to the reaping with your brother and grey, and leave…" nothing more was needed. I left right then and there. No crying, no sadness, just nothing.

Grey was waiting outside. I was almost surprised on what he chose to wear. He wore a white shirt with a beautiful, black, silk tie, and black dress pants. He commented on my dress saying it made look older and followed me to the center of town where the reaping would take place. In ten minutes, they would announce who would be going to the capital.

"What happened? It took you longer than normal to get ready."

"Let's just say after this reaping, I'm not going home anymore."

"He kicked you out again?"

"This time he talked about mom." Yes, he's kicked me out several times before, but the day after, he usually gathers himself and apologizes to me about it. This time, however, was different. Saxon met up with us down town and asked what happened.

"Dad kicked me out again."

"He'll come around, Rain. You know that."

"Maybe not, and I'm perfectly fine with it, sax. I'm done with him."

"You don't mean that. I'll talk to him for you, and Troy will pay a visit to convince him-"

"No! Have him figure out what _he_ did."

The clock rung twice, meaning it was two o'clock, and it was our districts turn for the tributes to be picked. Grey and I walked up to the peacekeeper in charge of taking our blood.

"Hand please…" I hate needles, and blood. "Hand please!" she then demanded before grabbing my hand and sticking me. I printed my blood on the paper they use, and they scanned it to make sure I was eligible to be chosen.

I know the peacekeepers never really liked me after what I did to them last year for picking Ariel, but it felt like they had pricked me twice. I was still bleeding even after they announced that Deary Flitter would take the stage.

Deary tapped the microphone, and everyone became silent.

I was breathing heavily now, close to hyperventilation. Grey caught my eye and told me to take deep breaths. He said he'd be there for me no madder what happened.

"Hello, hello, hello, District four!" no one spoke. Deary was a strange person, not because she was from the capitol, but because she dressed strange for capitol wear. Today she was sporting the colours orange and green: her dress and hair neon orange and skin a tint of spring green. "It's time for the 99th hunger games! These past few years have been tough, but I know we can come back stronger than ever!" her accent was very out of place in this district. "Now, as you all know, our most famous victor had a rough game of his own. May I present, Finnick O'Dair !" he walked onto the stage and turned to see the whole town. his Famous Pearly white smile lighting up the whole stage.

"Thanks Deary. This year I am mentoring again and even though our group of last years tributes weren't the strongest, however reaching the top five, I believe that this years group will defiantly have major potential." Our district applauded softly as he left, Deary taking her rightful spot again.

"Okay! Onto the brief explanation to how our country and the games became what they are." A minute long video showing what happened over the past ninety-nine years of Hunger Games was shown before the whole district. It ended with applause, but no other sound.

"It's time to announce the tributes!" Two clear fishbowls were carried up by two peacekeepers and placed in front of Deary. "Now, let's do ladies first!" shocker there… she always picked the girls first because she finds it "polite".

As her hand circled the pile of names, I couldn't help but think about my father and family. If I was really kicked out this time, I wouldn't have anywhere to go. Being unfamiliar with Grey's parents, I'm sure I wouldn't be welcomed by them. If I asked Troy for a place, he would treat me like a child, wanting everything to be perfect.

It's hard to believe, but I wish that I would be picked as a tribute just so that I wouldn't have to deal with my father anymore. I wouldn't hear him yelling for more whiskey or have to deal with his hangovers. After all, my favorite part of the day was sunset, when I was out swimming. It was the only time I was away from him.

Deary said the name twice, making my ears perk up. The name was actually familiar. In a strange way, I knew who it was. It belonged to someone I had known my whole life, someone I knew everything about. Deary repeated the name a third time.

But, it wasn't just anyone.

"Rain O'Troute!"

It was me.


	3. Chapter 3

**_Chapter 3: Train Ride_**

"NO!" someone shouted from my left. My heart stopped, I couldn't breathe, my throat seized up, and my limbs went numb.

"Er… Rain O'Troute? Anyone seen Rain O'Troute?" everyone around me turned to look and direct the peacekeeper's attention toward me. I suddenly saw my face being broadcasted across the entire town as the cameras found me. Stumbling the entire way, two sets of arms guided me to the front where I would be seen by my entire district.

"NO! RAIN!" I tripped going up the stairs but made it up to the blinding stage, my heart racing and breath hyperventilating.

"Any volunteers?" silence. Yes our district was famous for being a career district once every few years, but not because of our volunteers. "No? Alright then! Now for the boys-or should I say, young men!" my eyes clouded up and all I heard was my raspy throat inhaling and exhaling. Deary's gloved hand picked through all the names in the other fishbowl before settling on one.

"Herald Flannigan!" with the lights blinding me, I barley was able to see the little red headed boy on the screen as he walked up. Wailing from that side of the audience told me it was his mother crying. Something incredible happened shortly after.

"I volunteer. Let me THROUGH! I VOLUNTEER! I VOLUNTEER!" a voice screamed from the crowd. I knew that voice. No!

Grey's face suddenly entered my field of vision as he walked toward the stage, pausing at first before stepping up. The peace keepers had to pull him back slightly from seeing me in order for Deary to ask him a few questions. He was crying.

"Well! We haven't had a volunteer in this district for more than ten years! May I ask what your name is?"

"G-Grey Twilight…" he said into the microphone watching me the whole time. I'd never seen him cry before and didn't know exactly why his eyes were so red and what had his throat sounding soar.

"Grey Twilight. Was that someone you knew you volunteered for?"

"No. I've never seen him before in my life." He glances at the crowd behind the bright lights all the while trying his hardest not to sound panicked. Hot tears flowed down my face as I tried to breathe.

"This is going to be one exciting year! Thank you to both tributes for stepping forth with your sacrifice." There was an awkward silence between the three of us. "Now shake hands… go on!" I looked to my right where he was standing and more tears raced own my face. Grey slowly, but surly pulled me in for a tight hug, never wanting to part.

"May the odds be ever in _your_ favor." Deary finished with her cookie-cutter smile.

The peace keepers had to yank us away from the other to put us into seperate rooms where our family and loved ones could say their last goodbyes.

Saxon showed up first with a great embrace. He always knew my expression of love, physical touch.

"Now I know you are good with the trident and spears, you can swim, hold your breath for seven minutes, and you're also really good at fighting." We smiled recalling the time we almost took the shop down because he stole my silver fishing hooks to make other things.

"You and your art projects…"

"Speaking of art projects…" Saxon searched his pockets for something he was keeping secret until now.

"What is this?" the small object was placed in my hand and was cool to the touch, telling me it was made of metal.

"I made for your birthday, but thought I'd give it to you now." The small object depicted a trident splitting into two fish hooks. There was a circular cut sapphire diamond between the two hooks, and a ring of gold surrounding the entire charm. "It's supposed to remind you of where you came from." I smiled remembering when he would give dad things to remind him to come home. "Win the games for us." He pulled me in for one of his bear-hugs after helping to put the necklace on me.

"I will…" I said nodding my tears away. The peace keepers rushed in, taking him away from me.

"Please! Win them, Rain!"

"I will… I will!" I screamed as they took him away. A few seconds passed before someone else came through the doors: my father.

Words never came at first. He just ran up and held me, and I realized that for the first time since the day mom died, he was crying. His breathing was uneasy as his grip around me tightened.

"Dad don't cry… don't cry…" I said holding back tears of my own.

"I'm sorry." He muttered.

"It's okay, everybody cries…"

"No. Not for that…" he faced me, eyes red, face flushed slightly, and nose red. "For treating you the way I did when your mother died… You just look like her, and act like her so much, I kept thinking you were trying to be her and I became angry. I told myself not to show you or your brothers just how distraught I was, but the drinking only made me violent." The scars on his face were more prominent now that he was scrunching it, trying not to cry. "I didn't want anything to remind me of the pain of losing her, but seeing you everyday did. I should have kept you sacred and special because you were like her. Not punish you because of it… I… I'm sorry…"

"I still loved you. Even when you would kick me out of the house, that's the reason I always came back…" my words were muffled from his shoulder when the peace keepers enter to take him away.

"I love you, princess…" he used my old nickname from when mom was still alive.

"I love you, too, Daddy!" the maple doors slammed.

They had me sit in the granite tiled, wooden room for another five minutes, as people came to visit Grey. I could tell by the sobs behind the wall that it was his mother and sisters. I'm sure they're confused as to why he volunteered to murder himself. What Grey did was idiotic and selfish. How could he put his happy family through the pain of losing a son? They had to have known that it might have been - no it _was_- my fault he did that. What was he thinking?

The peacekeepers once again entered my room.

"It's time to go ma'am." I didn't budge. "Miss O'Troute, the train is waiting for you to go." He said it louder this time, thinking I did hear before. "Ma'am!" the same man shouted this time they both resulted in forcing me to walk through the door and to the train platform where I would look out to my district one last time. I barely got a glimpse of my father's shocked face as I was shoved into the cart, the doors sealing themselves behind me.

A mechanical rev notified me that the train was now on the move, and probably far from the district walls. Then the sound of voices at the end of the hall I was in caused me to stumble upon the people whose voices I had heard. The first face I saw and recognized was Deary's. The other woman, about mid-twenties, had dark brown hair and dark brown eyes, like the others in our district. The man had blondish hair with blue eyes that looked like the sea. Abigail Thornton and Finnick ODair: our mentor victors for this year. Abby had been seventeen when she won the 90th games, and Finnick's was the winner of the 80th hungerg games at the age of fourteen.

Deary was the first to approach me with her red nailed, green hands. Fire red lips smiled up at me, showing her pearly white teeth.

"Rain O'Troute! It's very wonderful to meet you." Her skin was like ice and I almost jerked away, but suddenly the door opened and two peacekeepers walked in with Grey. Without hesitation, I pushed past Deary and ran over to him. His arms were tight around me when we finally met.

"I'm sorry… I really am…" he mumbled quietly. I knew exactly what he was talking about.

"You should be, Grey… why did you?"

"I just wanted to make sure you were safe."

"Isn't that perfect, Abby? They already know each other…" Finnick came up and congratulated us, if you consider a pat or two on the shoulder a "well done". How can it possibly be a good thing that we know someone we might kill in the games? Wait… I might have to kill grey… I couldn't-I wouldn't! Could I really if he tried to kill me?

"I told you no!" Abigail walked over separated us completely, but more like wabbled from her apparent drunkenness. "IT DOESN'T MADDER! They're not going to pull a freaking Katniss and Peeta move!"

"But that's what the Capitol loves and what the sponsors love: the action, the drama. All the things that make television what it is!" He argued.

"Do you want them to have targets on their backs? The last time any district wanted to go for that, they were careers and were killed the second day but capitol mutts." By now my mind was going a million miles an hour trying to think about what was happening.

"What are you talking about?" Grey interrupted wanting to know what was up.

"We are working on what your angles will be."

"We've been fighting over 'strong, fighting, yet mysterious warriors' or-"

"'Star-crossed lovers,' to gather the capitols attention."

"And the careers attention with a weakness they can use against them, Finnick!"

"Abigail! Don't you tell me you haven't ever rooted for the lovers from other districts? After all you were one of them when you were a fresh tribute!"

"FINE! We'll do it your way, but the capitol will NOT like it…" Abby said rushing into a different room.

That night was the worst I ever had. It took me three hours just to fall asleep and when I did I had the most terrifying dream anyone could have.

I was waiting by the column that led me into the arena. The clock said thridy seconds. I looked to my right and saw Thresh from the seventy-fourth hingergames and every intimiating tribute from the past. To my left I saw rue, and all the little ones who died first. My last glance at five seconds was across and past the cournocopia. Grey. He had the same colours as me on, and was ready to jump for the bow and arrow on my side. I looked then to see Thresh eyeing his every move and, I tried to yell at Grey not to run, but my voice was broken. Everything I tried to say only came out as a whimper or whisper.

The gong sounded and everyone ran in at once. It was a blur as to what happened. But I did see that Thresh had me pinned with a sword stabbing my back. My eyes were just able to glance in time to see Grey running towards me only to fall with an axe in his back.

"Rain, Rain, go away, you won't live another day!" He pulled it from my back only to stab me even deeper than before. "Grey, Grey, he is right, never think of death so light" he said digging the sword ever deeper into my shoulder blades. I screamed in pain finally, and woke with arms shaking me.

"Rain?" My eyes shot open to see a tiresome Grey, his hair pointing this way and that. To me he looked like an angel saving me from my night mare.

"Thresh!"

"He's dead. He died in the seventy-fourth hunger games. He won't hurt you."

"But he pinned me down and stabbed me, and you died with an axe in your back, I-I'm-"

"Alive, and awake…" he pulled me close, knowing exactly how to deal with emotional me. Just hug me and shush me. "You're okay, it never happened okay? Shh, shh, shh…" he said as I sobbed, holding onto him with all my might. I passed out soon after that, not remembering much, just Grey mumbling something.

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**Reviews would be nice! And hopefully good ones! :)**

**-Shadow**


	4. Chapter 4

Hey guys sorry this one is a little late... i hope you like it!

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**_Chapter 4: Transformation_**

My eyes slammed open the next morning with the memories of my past dream, and I tensed up thinking for a split second that I was still on the ground with Thresh stabbing me. I relaxed instantly, feeling safe and warm, noticing someone's arm was around me. Attempting to roll over was a failure because the owner of the arm just tightened his grip.

"Good morning…" a voice whispered. The sunlight from my small window was shining right in my eyes.

"No, it's not…" I rolled over. Grey's familiar smell relaxed me as he wrapped his arm over me again. We lay there for a few more minutes, just relaxing in the silence, until…

"It's time for lunch Rainy!" Deary Flitter's voice shook me from my thoughts. She opened the door separating grey and I from the rest of the world, and clicked her heals into the room. "We'll be talking about strategies today and then reach the capitol around five for dinner and then-oh! Grey! Um… Well, it is better you're here to hear the agenda.

"Five more minutes…" I mumbled snuggling into Grey's chest.

"No, no, no, _no_! We have a _very_ _busy_ day today! So when we reach the capitol, we'll go to the remake center where they will wash you up and give you a signature look." Deary continued explaining what would happen within the next few days. I spaced out for some of it, but luckily she would probably be talking about it for the next three hours. "… And then the games will commence!" she sighed excited for this year's game.

"Ha! I told you!" Finnick's voice rang from the hall.

"Told me what? They'd _sleep_ together?"

"No! That they'd go along with the plan."

"All we did was sleep..." I muffled, taking one last deep breath in before sitting up.

"Now, go away." Grey threw a pillow at them, hitting Abigail in the face. I giggled, as he snuggled under the sheets, but soon those were gone, the cold air making me shiver.

"What the heck?" I protested sitting up to look around.

"Get up of your arses!" Abigail yelled before exiting swiftly.

After him and I were both dressed properly, we showed up for lunch: roast ham, potatoes, cooked veggies, and choices of fruit and drinks which the avox serving us was happy to serve.

"so, as for your personalities and signature trait, we need to get to know you both!" Finnick said grabbing the raspberry marmalade form across the table. I only ate a tiny portion of eggs, and bacon, washing it down with orange juice but only because Grey had made me. "what are your strengths?"

"Our what?"

"What are you good at? Weapons, people, book smarts, things like that." Abby clarified.

"I wouldn't say I have anything special-"

"She can hit an octopus with a spear from twenty feet away."

"Well that's nice, but I don't see how…"

"Underwater. And she can kill a shark from fifty feet away by just barley spotting its top fin." He wants to play it that way, huh?

"Well… Grey can shoot a bow and arrow and always brings in two deer every week, with ten rabbits, twelve squirrels, and he's also just as good as me with a spear." Everyone dropped what they were doing to listen to our little quarrel.

"Rain is good with knives. She's the best in our district."

"Grey can hit a bulls-eye from 100 feet away."

"Rain can hold her breath for seven minutes, sing like there's no tomorrow, and can draw just about anything you put in front of her."

"Grey can lift a 150 pound shark by the back fin, he was the lead in our schools play last year, and plays the piano with his eyes closed."

"Rain sleeps with a blanket-"

"Grey reads romance stories!"

"Shut up!" he said through his teeth.

"That's more than we need to know to put your identities together. The Musical Artists who fell in love with not only their music, but each other!" deary said putting everything together.

"That's great and all, but one thing; we aren't in love!" I said still frustrated with the things grey had announced.

"You don't have to be! You just have to pretend you're in love."

"how do we do that?"

"get caught holding hands-"

"-or kissing."

"what?" we said together at Finnick's remark.

"oh _yes_! Wouldn't that be just _peachy_!" Deary interrupted. "If, right before the games begin, the cameras _just happen_ to come across you two saying goodbye before going up into the tubes? _Aha!_ We'd have the capitols fans _on a string!_ Pass the butter."

"say that again." Finnick smirked looking at Abigail.

"Pass the butter?"

"Before that. So Dearest Abby can hear…" she glared at him with fiery eyes.

"We'd have the capitol on a string?"

"Ahem…" Abby excused herself, wiping her face and walking out.

"I think we got the point across."

"How do you think we would ever kiss?"

"Well usually people tilt their heads lean in and press their lips against the other persons."

"Sarcastic much? I meant how can the two of us kiss when all we've seen each other as is just friends?" grey asked. Yes I am sure there are the few girls at school that drool over him, but I was surely not one of them. One because I didn't like Grey in that way, and two: I quit school two years ago because of work.

"Why not break the ice now? You'll be use to it by the time they film you saying goodbye!" Deary suggested.

"NO WAY!" I shouted standing up. They can't make us do things we don't want to do! After all we are going to die in less than a week. We're going to die, and at each other's hands. "I can't do this anymore…" I ran off before Finnick said something else in a sarcastic way.

"rain! Rain. Stop, stop, stop, stop, stop!" Grey said coming after me down the hall. "Stop!" he slammed my door shut just as I had opened it. "stop!"

"why Grey? So they can twist us into one of the capitol's dolls, like all the tributes have in the past?"

"they just want to put on a good show. Don't let it change you." I tried breaking the conversation with him by leaving but he only held me there. "Remember how we would talk about ways we would avoid the capitol? How we would dream about swimming to the island right off shore and building tree houses to live in?"

"Yes, but we'll never get to know-"

"That doesn't have to make us grow hard and unforgiving like the others." His eyes took my breath away when they stared into my hazel green ones. "We have to win this, if it means sacrificing myself to save you, then let it be but we are going to win-"

"Don't you dare think you can do that…" I scolded him for thinking those thoughts. "I wouldn't live with the fact you died for me. I would never live it down." Now he was the one looking away from my glare. "you're my best friend and I'm not letting you go that easy."

He smiled before hugging me tightly.

The moment we finally entered the capitol, I knew something was about to happen. Seeing all the extravagant outfits and painted skins and tattooed faces put a pit feeling in my stomach. These are the people who want us to die.

Before going anywhere else, we went up to our rooms to kill some time as the rest of the tribtes arrived. I still couldn't believe we had our own floor just for us. The elevator doors opened and I almost fainted.

First of all the place was huge having t be at least a fifty or more feet tall. There were several French styled windows that were on either side of the television display in the middle of the wall, and reached from the floor to the ceiling. The other walls seemed to be hand painted in intricate patterns all the way up in varieties of blues, resulting in an ocean looking design all together. To my left and right were terraced fountains that held crystal clear water with circular stones on every other tier. The tile on the floor was of only blues and replicated the feeling of a pool area until you got to the living room. Each tile had a swirled pattern that was the lighter hue of the tile next to it and was made of an almost sparkly stone. Where the walls met the floor on the south and north sies, a good three feet of water stood there in place of tile. 'just for decoration' I thought. Giant golden tridents adorned the walls, with mini golden plaques under them that stated a past victors name from this district. There were giant lights over head, as well as in the fountains, that made everything look new and clean.

We followed Deary to the dining area and found a long hallway that intersected the fountain area from the living room and reached from the dining area to our bedrooms. We followed it to where we would eat, leading up a few stairs and into a white walled room that had dark blue drapes with the symbol of our district on it and gold trimming. The tile was a sany coloured and actually resemnled the way it looked. A long white marble table sat centered in the room with eight chairs surrounding it. The room over looked the entire fountain area and living room, but still was far enough in the side of the wall that the ceiling was a mere nine feet tall. There were also decorative paintings and flower vases, but I didn't pay much attention to them.

Our rooms were next. The hall had four on each side of it, each the same as the next. The first two belonged to Deary and Abby. Deary, Leo, and Pierah (Grey's head stylist) all lived in this complex daily and just have the place cleaned special every year for the incoming tributes. Their rooms had their names in gold lettering on the dark wood whist ours had name tags that were desposable. Like us.

Finally I got to my room on the left and entered gasping.

the floor again was tiled and matched the living room slightly but on a smaller scale. My room over looked a beautiful part of the city. The walls were a whitish colour that faded to a sand colour near the floor, and had golden paneling. My bed was covered in a seashell bed spread with matching pillows of those colours. I had two white bed side tables with a lamp on each. It was incredible.

A door on the left lead me to the bathroom that kept up with the ocean theme and had a shower with so many buttons, I couldn't count them all. Blue and white fluffy towels hung ready for use, and a fancy robe also was lain across the marble counter top.

"wow…"

"I know right?" Deary said in her cheeriest voice after giving me the tour of my room. I learned that finnicks was after mine and un fortunately for him sat across the hall from Abby's room.

Finally after the tour was over and we were all comfortable in our rooms,they brought us to what they called a remake center where they would "cleanse" us of all imperfections before letting our stylists see us.

The plastic people covered my body with sticky goop before putting a cloth over it.

"What's that?" I asked seeing them get more strips of white.

"It's just waxing to get rid of the hair on your body. Luckily there isn't that much on your legs we have to take care of. We still need to repair your damaged hair. What on earth have you done to it? It's like you've showered with salt for soap…"

"Well I fish- AHHH!" They didn't say they would be ripping the cloth of my skin, along with layers of skin I'm sure! "WHAT THE HECK?!" I screamed.

"Please sit back down miss O'troute. We are almost done." They lied. I sat there for a few more hours as they yanked my hair out all over my body, except for eyebrows and head hair, which they plucked at and oiled so much that I thought I'd surly slip of the table onto the floor like a fish.

They then brought the steaming hot water that almost put me to sleep from the feeling, and the choice of shampoos.

"beach grass or coconut?" the man said wafting the scented soap toward me.

"do you have a lily smell?" he looked surprised and quockley disappeared only to return with a pinkish orange substance that filled me with the memories of home the second the smell hit me. I smiled as he used the requested sent happily.

"You know, we haven't used this smell since it came out to the public." Soon enough, I was hosed down with the same smelling wash before they jet dried my body. Only after that did they let my stylist team see me.

A man about my height walked in with long blond hair that volumnized out a few inches, but was still away from his face, like a lions. He had highlights, and orange strips of colour as well. His face was a yellow like gold, and his ears pointed. In the entire package, he looked like a lion. With yellow contact lenses, he looked up at me, approachable.

"hello. how are you this evening?" he said in an accent not from the capitol. The sound wasn't familiar to me.

"um… I'm okay I guess-"

"this is good! I can defiantly work with this one." He smiled lifting my arms to watch me spin before him. "chi chi! Write this one's look down! Brainstorm or something…"

"if I may ask, what is your name?"

"Why I am LEO you silly girl." Let the torchure begin. My stylist spent more than an hour just looking at me and taking notes on my "body type" as he called it. I could see why his name was leo considering he really did look like a lion. He would also occationally growls or made a cat-like noise when agreeing. Plus it didn't help that I was naked either.

"are we going to put some cloths on me or what?" what does it take for a girl to get covered here? I was freezing!

"one moment, and you can put your gown back on." He finished writing with his assistants, an then instructed me what to do. "Rain, darling, it's so nice to meet you." He said greeting me with a kiss on the cheak. Being nude infront of someone who just kissed you isn't the most comforting feeling in the world. "oh, honey don't worry, im not interested in you, im gay."

"I still don't like other men staring at me when I'm naked, thank you." Luckley leo handed me my paper gown just as things got even more awkward.

"so, lets talk fabrics."

"I'm not from district eight so all I know is that theres a soft kind, normal kind and ichy kind, which is the one I hate."

"I meant fabrics that represent your district. How about ocean colours?" he asked his assistant.

"well if we really want to make a statement, why not just cover them in fish?"

"Okay we don't want a repeat of five years ago, that year they didn't get one sponsor… hmm.. Ooh! I've got it Ementra!" Leo then began whispering and chatting to his assistant while she scrambled in her bag for a pencil.

In no time they had three outfits picked out and tomorrow they would be trying them on me to see how they look. I was just hoping we weren't going out in nothing but oceans painted on our skin.


	5. Chapter 5

**_Chapter 5: Presentation of Tributes_**

My door almost came off the hinges with a bang from Finnick.

"Wakey wakey! Eggs and bakey!" he shouted before entering.

"Finnick, shut up…" I said once again trying to hide from the world in my covers.

"Get up." Abigail yelled passing the room to the kitchen.

"We have a big day today!" Deary shouted entering as well with her bedazzled clipboard and yellow, well, everything. "Eat a big breakfast because we aren't having a long lunch or dinner."

"Why not?"

"Well today is the day you will be shown to all of Panem in style!"

After breakfast and later on in the day, we went down to where our stylists were to see what outfits they decided on. Leo was most eager to see me.

"Oh there she is! Our little princess from four!" he hugged me. I never realized just how nice they actually were, since the last time we spoke was after I had been cleansed of three layers of skin. "Now we are going to let you try on some of our options for your clothing just to see what looks good on you, okay?"

"Okay."

Two hours and three outfits later, we finally decided on what I was wearing.

"It really shows off your muscular figure along with your feminine side, without being too flashy."

"It shows a bit more skin than I'd like, though."

"Hey, who's the stylist, you or me?"

"You."

"Then if I say you're going out there naked, then…"

"I'll go out naked, got it." The outfit I was currently wearing was a scale covered swimsuit top that started at my armpits, ended mid-ribcage, and barley even covered my chest. Then my "pants" were of the same clingy material with more scales to match. The fish scales were iridescent and sparkled just slightly when the light hit them. We also had fins on the backs of our calves along with more scaled up the forearms.

The team also explained that they would be putting a blue colored paint substance on my skin, and showed me the swirl pattern they would create with makeup for my face.

My hair was my favorite part because they would be putting what they called extensions in. these would make my hair even longer and easier to work with. My hair was already pretty long, reaching my butt, but the extentions made it almost as long as my calves. The design for that was very difficult but was explained to me as an intricate braid that would have shells, scales, and glitter in it. They tried showing me the process, but I simply got lost and they gave up.

Afterwards, Finnick came in just as they were taking the costume off.

"Alright now, you two need to remember that whenever you are in the public eye, you have to be 'in love', got it?" I nodded just standing there. "What?"

"Nothing, I'm just nervous about you watching me undress."

"Oh, it doesn't faze me. I've seen many tributes naked, thanks to crazy stylists and overly eager fans, if you know what I mean."

"Okay…" I said trying to sound confident, but in truth, I was terrified of undressing in front of my mentor and childhood crush, but did anyways. he was standing rather close to me as my stylist team undid my hair, leaving the extentions in.

"Okay so when you two are fluffing it up, try standing close to the other a-and… maybe hold hands when you walk."

"Got it."

"Also remember to laugh at random things he says, that's also a way of bluffing it." I giggled. "What?"

"Like that?" I turned smiling to see his confused face as it turned in to a smile.

"Oh, you're the funny kind are you?" I smirked, walking away, finally clothed again.

* * *

"Now, we need to see what you two look like as a couple." Finnick said talking to me in the elevator.

He brought me over to our stylists right after our quick lunch to prepare us for the chariot ceremony where all the sponsors would see us for the first time. It was very important to make a good impression here because this and the judging of our skills were the only chances we got to get them to sponsor us.

They had me in my half-naked fish costume, and lead me to where I would meet with Grey before going out. He stood there with his outfit matching mine and a crooked smile on his face noticing me. Luckily my skin was covered in blue pain and glitter otherwise everyone would see my blush.

Yes his costume matched mine, but only to a degree. He had the same pants, but he wasn't wearing anything else. I had never noticed the muscle on him before today, and the blue paint did wonders for his arms-STOP! I couldn't afford to think that way when in a few days we will be killing each other. As Finnick and Abigail both talked to us, I couldn't help but eye the other tributes.

**District one**: Diamond and Zyre, a girl with dark features and a boy with blonde hair and green eyes  
**District two:** Ginger and Lockwood, a girl with big curly blond hair and icy blue eyes, and a boy with light hair and gray eyes.  
**District three**: Cassiopeia and Orion, both with brown bushy hair and blue and brown eyes.  
**District five**: Starle and Solar. Both brown hair blue eyes.  
**District six**: Victoria and Titan, opposites. She had blonde hair and blue eyes and he had brown hair and brown eyes  
**District seven**: Maple and Timber, the only redhead with blue eyes, and a boy with brown hair and eyes.  
**District eight**: Paisley and Sheah, the stylish two who matched in blonde hair and blue eyes  
**District nine**: Willow and Barley, a girl with curly brown hair and eyes to match, and a boy with similar features.  
**District ten**: Terri and Lyant, a girl with black hair and icy eyes, and a boy with light brown hair and blue eyes.  
**District eleven**: Rose and Palmer, Blondie with brown eyes, and brownie with green.  
**District twelve:** Coal and Pan.

Coal I knew was the daughter of the famous victors with her last name being Mellark. It's a real shame the twelve year old was picked in her first games. Pann was also a victor descendant. His father was most likely Haymitch, who must have married someone after he won his games. Too bad he died shortly after the third quarter quell…

Careers stood out, all of them in a group talking. Diamond was wearing a white ball gown covered from head to toe with rhinestones and jewels, and Zyre's white suit only matched with the amount of bling. Ginger wore a Greek-like toga with hints of gold near the bottom, and had golden wings attached to her back. Her counterpart, Lockwood, also had wings but he wore a toga, matching her. Orion and Cassiopeia both had black, skin-tight suits on that every time someone spoke, would light up in a different color. Solar, being Mr. Sly and Swagger, had worn nothing but bronze glitter and paint (as did Starle). Lyant was the last person in their group and his outfit wasn't helping his grimacing glare. He had a simple red plaid shirt, jeans, and cowboy boots with a hat to show he was from ten.

Other districts outfits were those of seven, nine, and twelve. Seven had twig twisted dressings with leaves that created a cape in the back. Nine had gold accented wheat colored suits that liked like real grain when they moved. Twelve was quite spectacular. In remembrance of their parents, the stylists stuck with the fire theme by having their suits create flames wherever they went; their hands and legs glowing from the heat like hot embers. Little Coal looked over at me with nervous eyes before glancing at the other careers. She reminded me of Ariel.

All of them must have been looking around at the other tributes because they looked in her direction. I glanced at her to see her partner, Pann looking nervous as well. They looked at the two from twelve like they were dinner. Zyre caught me staring and nodded toward me, telling all of them to check me out again. I must have tensed up because I felt Grey hold my hand, reminding me to relax. They all eyed me down scanning me, some looking pleased and others looking embarrassed for me.

Solar glared right into my eyes, wanting to challenge me. I accepted his request kindly with a fierce smirk and never lost eye contact until he licked his lower lip, making me shudder. His eyes followed my figure down and back up stopping at different places to either smirk or look surprised. I, however, felt it unnecessary to return the favor, considering he was naked.

"Rain." Grey said shaking me from my trance.

"What?"

"We're going on soon." I noticed he was already on the chariot with our sea foam white horses.

"Alright now when you go out, don't be afraid of all the people, just smile and wave. Try to show that you're saying 'I'm proud of my district and I will win these games!' okay?" we both nodded. Soon all the rest of the tributes were loaded onto their districts chariots and right after that, the doors opened to let us through. I could feel Solar's eyes on my neck once we jolted forward, and had to cling to Grey for dear life.

There had never been so many eyes on me before. I felt honored yet betrayed because these were the people who either loved me or wanted me dead. The sound was deafening; All the screams for districts and names of the others.

I didn't wave at first because I was afraid of falling off.

"Wave. It will make people like you." Grey said in my ear.

"I'll fall off if I don't hold on." No sooner than I said it, he wrapped his free arm around my side and held tightly onto my hip, securing me to that spot.

"I won't let you fall." Grey smiled and waved. I put my arm around his waist to steady myself before I began waving. The crowd went crazy seeing the two of us so close to the other. I heard my name and Grey's being chanted throughout the crowds, and many flowers fell for us. I was sure at least a half a dozen or more actually made it into our chariot. Most of them were roses.

Feeling Grey's arm around me brought a sense of security and safety to my feelings about the games. I felt like if I was in his arms, then nothing could hurt me. Not even Solar.

The horses were trained to line up perfectly in order once we reached the presidents building, so all we did was listen to the president give his speech about the games before we were whisked off to wash away the glamour of the capitol.

"Great job you two!" Deary exclaimed as she walked up to us in her pink heels. Not far behind her, we saw Abigail and Finnick along with our stylists. Finnick swept me off the ground into a giant hug that he didn't release until I told him I couldn't breathe. Upon seeing this, some of the tributes walked over to speak with us.

"So… four-"

"I have a name."

"What is it?"

"Rain." Grey said behind me.

"I wasn't particularly talking to you-"

"I don't think we should stay here long." He tried leading me away from them, but Diamonde opened her fat mouth.

"You scared of conversation?"

"No I just don't like you very much."

"Watch it, four." She snapped.

"We need to wash you up for tomorrow." Leo tried to end the conversation, but I wanted to hear what they had to say.

"It'll only be a few minutes." I smiled as I saw my team leave.

"Don't take too long." Grey whispered. The look in his eyes was protective as he glared towards the careers.

"What do you want?"

"We thought that since you are in district four, a usual ally of ours, we thought we would give you the chance to join our alliance in the games."

"Who's in it?"

"It's us, Ginger, Lockwood, Cassi, Orion, Solar, Lyant, and you if you want." This could be my strategy to winning these games.

"What about Grey?"

"Who?"

"The boy from my district?"

"I guess we can put up with him for a while, but he'll need to be careful about what he says."

"Otherwise he might be the first we target." I swallow hard thinking about my best friend dying at my hand.

"So keep your boyfriend in line, Fish Girl, okay?" fish girl?

"Okay. Sparkles." They smiled at the little nickname. "So then I'll see you in training?"

"Yes, and be ready to show your stuff cause you still need to impress us."


	6. Chapter 6

**_Chapter 6: Training_**

I left the elevator onto my floor and couldn't help but think about Grey. What would happen in the arena? Would he really try and kill me? Or would we fight it out together with the careers? I couldn't do it. Watch those beautiful eyes of his fade into nothingness as I plunge a weapon into his body. His face would be relaxed, and muscles still as he would fade. Finally, he would look at me: his killer with his last breath and say something that everyone will never forget.

"I've missed you." Grey said putting the stray hairs on my head in my face, making me smile.

"You've seen me every day since we met."

"I mean the old you, before you hated the world and actually loved your life." My smile quickly faded along with his trademarked smirk. "Why did you almost do it?" this was a sensitive subject for me considering it was the planning and preparation of my own suicide.

"I didn't want to feel anymore." Now he just pulled all the hairs behind my ear.

"What stopped you?" that was a confusing question.

"A few thing, actually." Facing forward and trying not to think of the main reason wasn't helping, since it was the only one that came up. For months I have been forcing this thought down in my thoughts, denying it and making it seem like a memory more than a dream. "I couldn't leave my family behind."

"Liar, you even said that you would run away at any chance you got."

"Okay… I didn't stop myself mentally or physically. I was going to do it, but then-" I stopped myself before saying too much. "Then I remembered April." I lied, covering up my emotions.

We sat on the couch the whole day watching specials on tributes, the newest fashion, and even a soap opera for a while. We actually just made fun of the soap opera because it was completely fake. The news was interesting for a few more minutes as Caesar Flickerman and Plutarch Heavensbee talked about the presentation of the tributes showing constant re-runs of their favorite moments.

"Oh and here's my favorite team this year, Rain O'Troute, and Grey Twilight."

"Ah, I just love how much they truly trust each other, willing to show the world they believe in themselves and will win this year."

"Now, Caesar, I've been told we have some recorded evidence from their suite and train ride put into a film for the viewers."

"Oh! That would be great. Now we can really know what our tributes think!"

"Can we roll the film?"

The film began with our incident at the reaping when he volunteered for me and hugged me. There was some type of inspirational music in the background as we spoke. Then they showed the time I had my nightmare, which showed several shots of us snuggling in the morning as the recording of our voices continued with the music, me crying and his shushing. Finally they played a recording of our fight about strategies, well the ending when he mentioned sacrificing himself for me.

"I can't do this anymore…" I ran off.

"Rain! Rain. Stop, stop, stop, stop, STOP!" he slammed the door. "Stop!"

"Why Grey?"

"Remember how we would dream about swimming to the island right off shore and building tree houses to live in?"

"Yes, but we'll never get to-"

"That doesn't have to make us like the others." You could tell I was taken aback by his stare. "We have to win this, if it means sacrificing myself to save you, then let it be but we are going to win-"

"Don't you dare think you can do that…" My voice came off as harsh. "I wouldn't live with the fact you died for me. I would never live it down." The movie ended with one last shot of the two of us before the opening ceremonies when we smiled at each other.

"You're my best friend and I'm not letting you go that easy." The screen faded from black back to Caesar and Plutarch as they watched.

"Now that is a couple who has their strategy figured out."

"I don't think it's just a strategy, Plutarch."

"What do you mean?"

"Is it me, or do I see a romance budding between the two?"

"Well! Now that I think about it-" the television went blank as I pressed the off button. It made me feel violated that they had cameras on those trains. They are already going to watch us die; can they give us just the tiniest bit of privacy?

"I was watching that you know…" Grey said griping my shoulder for a moment to get my attention. At the moment, I wasn't thinking about that right now, I was thinking about something other than what the capitol thought. What _I_ thought. "Rain?"

"What?"

"Why did you turn the TV off?"

"Well nothing they say is true. It irritates me because it's only a show they want."

"Then let's give them a good one." He yawned. "Well, I'm going to bed. You okay alone tonight?"

"Yeah, the same as last night."

"Okay, just checking. Goodnight." He kissed my head before walking out the door.

My beat red face could now be hidden once he left. I never thought I'd end up like one of those stereotypical girls, but I'm the definition of it. This thought in my mind when he walked away was something I had been avoiding since I met him, something that both confused me and made me nervous to even think about.

The thought of loving him.

The next morning, I woke around four. Until now I had never noticed the little metal controller on my side table. It was curved like a low arch, and responded to my touch. I must have done something because the scenery outside my window changed. It morphed from the capitol city lights, to a close up view of one street which colourful people walked down. Then next touch changed it to a desert and the third a forest. I didn't like either so I went to turn it off when there was one more setting. The sound slammed into me before I even saw it and it made my chest hurt.

The ocean, the waves and foam, the birds and sand, even the time of day was early dawn. The only thing it didn't have was the smells and feeling of the ocean.

My hand unknowingly reached out to touch the water and touch the warm sand, but I only touched glass. I quickly turned the fake screen off before becoming too attached and slipped into my bed soon after, facing away from it.

I came back into the world from my dreams, and felt well rested. The sun wasn't shining directly in my window but it was bright enough out to cause the curtains to glow. My eyes opened and I saw everything just as normal as it usually was, my clothes from yesterday gone and replaced with new clean ones, the whole room dusted and polished over night. My pillow behind me seemed too far away when I reached to pull it close to my body, fitting to my figure.

For the past two days I've been waken up by Finnick and Abby, so since I was the one awake this early morning, I thought "why not wake them up?" I dressed and quickly found their rooms.

Abby was second and I thought I'd wake her like she did me. Barging in and demanding for my presence in the dinning hall. I pounded on her door and heard her shout in anger before running away.

Finnick's room. Once there, I walked in, and noticed him already sitting by the window Indian style. His room was very similar to mine other than the messed up bed and clothing everywhere. There was a trident missing from his wall, but I quickly found it next to him, his hand grasping it tightly. I saw three or four different alcoholic drinks by his bedside table, and smelt sea salt in his room. He had candles burning all around the room in the dark which gave it an eerie feel.

"Wake up sunshine…" I muttered crossing my arms. He didn't answer. My feet made their way to his side. "Hey, wake up Sunny boy." He sat their perfectly peaceful with his eyes closed. Finnick never looked this relaxed, even though he was known as a sly womanizer by his laid back personality, and it was strange seeing him like this. It was like it wasn't even him.

It was similar to when I would see Grey sleeping. Grey always had this look of relaxation, but when he was dreaming, you could tell he was only truly calm then.

He suddenly stirred as a sigh escaped his mouth. His eyes blinked open, but weren't quite focused. Once he noticed I was there, he had me pinned to the ground with a knife pushed on my throat.

"You're not getting me this time, ten. Once back in the arena was one too many times." I fought back tears of fear.

"Finnick! Finnick it's me! It's R-" He pushed the knife closer to one of my main arteries and I let a whimper of pain out. "Rain O'Troute!" At first he didn't look away but then he twitched, blinked away and then looked back, now conscious of his actions. The dull blade dropped to the ground as he stood away from me.

"I'm sorry." He paced by the corner.

"I was just trying to wake you up…"

'Just get out now, please." He wasn't making any sense… "Now! Please!" demanding now, he looked me right in the eyes. His bright blue eyes meeting my hazel ones caused me to not hesitate in following his orders.

My shoulders and back were then slammed against the wooden walls no sooner had I left. Abby looked at me like I was just another tribute in the games.

"Don't ever wake me up again, you little brat."

"Get off me."

"Aw, is baby gonna cry?" she bashed me again like she wanted an answer. I saw a flash of light and gasped seeing something hit her.

"Don't touch her!" Finnick yelled from his room obviously upset. Grey appeared and pulled her off of me before noticing the knife that was now sunk deeply in the wall. Her forehead was bleeding.

"That is red oak!" Deary shouted, her heels clomping down the hall as she ran here. I removed the knife with a little trouble; it being a good two or three inches imbedded in the wall. "Must I really ask you four to refrain yourselves from violence this year?"

"Where'd you get a knife?" Grey asked Finnick once he made sure I was okay.

"I always have one on me. Just in case…"

"Incase what?" He asked me in a whisper. We all made our way to the dinner hall where breakfast awaited our arrival. I could smell it from my room.

"I woke him up this morning from a nightmare he was having. I didn't know it had been a bad dream until he thought I was the boy from ten who almost kill him during his games. That's when the knife came into play."

"He tackled you with a knife on your throat?" He tensed up glaring at Finnick's back.

"Only because he wasn't sure what was going on. I told him it was me and he snapped out of it. I don't know… he's just troubled I guess."

"Well yeah. I'm sure the games change people, you remember Annie Cresta?"

"Yeah she went insane and killed herself in the last quarter quell." The memory of that year's battle still haunts my memory. That year had all the victors from the past be entered and chosen from, however only one was chosen, not the usual two genders. Katniss and Annie were the only ones our district rooted for, considering their past experiences in the games. Katniss had won that year, but just barley, suffering the loss of her left leg in the process.

Once we finished the omelets and bacon, we filed into the living room where we watched the new for today before we would go off for training. Caesar and Plutarch only reviewed about what each tribute might contribute to this year's games.

"So who do you think the group of careers are this year?"

"Well it looks to me like there might be an alliance between a few _different_ tributes, actually. Defiantly districts one and three are together this year, and it looks like the girl from two, and the boys from five and ten. We have some news leaking in that no offer has been made to the district four tributes. I guess we'll just have to wait for the arena."

"Have they asked Rain?" Deary asked muting the television. Everyone looked at me.

"Actually, Diamond and Zyre from one asked me shortly after the ceremony once everyone left. They said I was a sure go ahead."

"What about me?" the room fell silent.

"They told me you need to watch what you say-"

"Oh my gosh…"

"This is your only way you might be able to survive longer than two days! And Grey if I were you I'd shut up!" Abby shouted.

"Well it's almost eight, so I suggest we head down for your training today." The conversation ended at that.

We headed down shortly after, and were dressed in strange diving suit-like material. It stretched and formed to my shape, but was still loose enough to move the way I did. The material was red, black, and silver, and had a number 4 on my back and arms as if my appearance wasn't enough identification.

Grey held my hand once we entered in, but had to let go to stand around our instructor as everyone else made their way in. District one, two and three were already chatting across from another while they surveyed the other tributes eyeing the weapons.

Zyre noticed me first and looked at me in a way that sent shivers down my spine. He was not someone I could trust.

"Alright tributes listen up!" Arianna, I found that was her name, proceeded to explain everything we needed to know about the training center. "There will be trainers near by that will show you the proper techniques for using said weapon or said skill. Now before all of this, we will be running all of you through a short obstacle course to warm you up for training." She walked ever to where the path was. "You will start by running up and down these moving platforms while also avoiding getting hit by three of our trainers. They're just using a foam bat so don't go whining away when you get hit. Next you will climb a set of nets that will lead you up to the ceiling and back down. A balance test will be after that in which you will have three paths to choose from. Finally there is an army crawl, a wall to climb, and then a sprint to finish. Got it?" everyone nodded wearily. "Now line up!" of course this was when everyone showed what their playing at since most of the careers were the first to go.

We were also timed which made it a little more nerve racking.

"Go!" she shouted a time watch in her hand as Zyre jump onto the first moving platform. He was only hit once, flipped the net over on his way up, almost falling, but gained control on the way down. He chose one path that looked similar to a balance beam, sped through the crawl and wall climb, almost jumping over the fifteen foot thing, and making it down to the finish in one giant huff.

"Four minutes and thirty nine seconds." Diamond was next, and finished in almost six minutes. Many others went before me, palmer from eleven falling from the net, and many others having a rough time through. Grey went right before I did and finished in five minutes flat.

"Go!" she shouted at me. I wasn't paying attention so it cost me a few seconds before I began. The platforms moved opposite and at different speeds, but I was quick to react and luckily went through without being hit. Next, I began on the net, but half way through, it flipped over on me as I climbed upside-down. I had to do a type of monkey bar climb to get across. Through the entire thing I just pictured me and Grey running through the forest near my house where we use to play, and just had fun with it. I went through the army crawl course like I was avoiding the moss on a fallen tree and ran like he was chasing me on the beach.

"Four minutes and fifteen seconds."

"Nice job, Rain." Zyre said winking at me. Again the strange feeling came back, but this time it was worse because he actually used my name.

"Yeah, fish girl. I never knew you had it in you." Cassi actually approached me after her run through, which ended in seven minutes from falling once from the net. I sensed Grey's presence when they all became stone hard again like the typical careers did.

"So who wants to head over to the swords station and spar?" he asked trying to sound as upbeat as he could. I held back a smile knowing that it kills him to be nice to them, but he's trying.

"Sure, why not?" Orion said leading him over. We all went to similar stations, me going to all but my strong station; spears. My first one was archery with Cassi, Diamond, and Solar. They all missed by a long shot, the closest being Solar in the yellow section. When it was my turn, the instructor told me how to hold it and aim properly, but I already knew this from Grey teaching me.

"One…"I focused in on the bull's eye, and breathed calmly while knocking and aiming my arrow. "Two…" The end of the string that I held was barley touching the corner of my lip when I released it on my exhale. "Three…"

There was a twang of my string, a swish of wind, and a pang when it hit the dummy just off the center of the chest. Everyone congratulated me until they heard someone yell in frustration.

We all turned to see Orion swinging with all his might trying to hit Grey, when all Grey was doing was dodging the swings with ease. Before we could laugh at the situation, we saw Grey quickly disarm Orion with his own sword, and knock him to the floor with the blade at his throat.

"Come on Rain, let's go to there next." Cassi instructed. Once I got there, I noticed more than just swords lying around. There were sickle shaped blades, maces, and other clubs used for a weapon. I picked up a type of knife that was half my forearm in length and was about two fingers in width. It was sharp on the one end, double edged, and had a weird handle on it.

"That's a throwing knife." The instructor said making me cautious about the weapon in my hand. "Usually people hold it like this and throw it with this type of a motion," he walked me through the steps, and before I knew it, throwing knives were my new expertise.

"Let's see it all together now." I stepped up to the line, and right as the buzzer rang, I threw my first knife, missing the center by a few inches. The only one I made was the last one, but only because I was caught up in what to do. Ginger tried after me, and got closer to the target, obviously showing her training in the weapon.

"Nice shot." Zyre said walking over." The blush on her face was obvious.

"T-thanks. I'm use to throwing them."

"At who? Your ex-boyfriends?"

"Maybe." They instantly began a close relationship that might just carry to the arena. I happened to glance over to where Grey was at and saw him near the archery station, shooting at the furthest targets. He's hit a bull's eye from 300 feet away, but somehow missed this time by two inches and I knew he was trying _not_ to hit the target.

"I bet Zyre can't make it from fifty." He said as people laughed at his aim.

"Deal!" Zyre shouted. He had his arrow ready and shot it, making it dead on. Everyone cheered. "Easy…" he said dropping the bow on the ground.

"I have seen better." Grey bloated.

"Bet you can't split mine from across the training center."

"What are you betting?"

"Your life. You make it; I won't kill you until or if you even make the final three. You miss, and after the alliance breaks, you're free game." Zyre whispered for only us to hear.

"Deal." Everyone was shocked. Grey quickly jogged over to the opposite side of the room before aiming his arrow.

"It's got to be at least two hundred feet." Ginger said watching him. We all were silent once Grey knocked his arrow. He took a deep breath and pulled the string back to aim. I counted three breaths, as he usually does, before he released the arrow. It whizzed past everyone before a cracking sound erupted throughout the area. We all looked to see one arrow in the center, and two halves of Zyre's sticking out on either side.

"No shooting outside of the marked area!" one of the trainers shouted running to take the bow from him.

We ended the training hour with me and Grey learning about different plants that are edible, and we had just found out what Nightlock was and how to identify it when we heard a yell.

"Hey!" I turned to see little Rose looking terrified with a small knife in her hand. "Wait your turn little girl."

"You have to share you know-" she threw one of her three knives.

"Not in the arena. Now give it back" Rose hesitated. "Give me the knife eleven."

"No, get it yourself." And she threw it at a target, barely hitting the thing. He smirked at her before backing her up, taking another knife, and going for her throat.

"Don't even mess with me, girly." My instincts kicked in and I jumped to help, but the guards got there before I could leave the station. "You're the first one I'll get little one, so I'd watch my back if I were you!" they pushed him off and removed the knife before dismissing us to our floors.

We were all confined there for the rest of the day.


End file.
